Senior Success: Sam Itman's Passion Leads to Cybersecurity Career

Information technology student Sam Itman has long believed that knowledge and passion for technology can open doors as "it presents a world of opportunities to those who are willing to discover them." For Itman, these opportunities have led to an impactful internship at Optum and a cybersecurity position with the federal government.

Itman is a dean's list student in NJIT's Ying Wu College of Computing and member of the National Science Foundation's CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program, part of the NJIT Secure Computing Initiative. The competitive scholarship program provides him the opportunity to pursue a Master of Science in IT Administration and Security with full tuition paid and a $25,000 annual stipend along with other expenses for professional development. In return, he must commit to work for a U.S. government agency in a cybersecurity-related position for each year of scholarship received.

There are many ways in which you can assess and improve the security of people's networks and personal information, and this service is becoming increasingly valuable.

The Optum internship materialized through one of NJIT's career fairs, a twice-a-year event that typically hosts over 200 employers and 2,500 students. Itman would go on to help lead a seven-person international intern team to modernize Optum's existing database system by upgrading security and consolidating it into a single, user-friendly database in a central portal.

"Working to experience how projects are executed in real-world environments definitely prepares you for the workforce," Itman said. "You learn to survive in a fast-paced environment with no professor there to hold your hand." He credits Matt Toegel, university lecturer in the Department of Informatics, with helping to prepare him through Toegel's "intense, project-based" instruction.

Part of the process involved Optum's version of a Shark Tank style review where the team would be tasked with presenting biweekly pitches. Itman excelled in these and was awarded Optum's Top Intern Presenter.

As a first-generation American, Itman's parents stressed the importance of communication at an early age. Itman reflects fondly on reading time downstairs in the family room of their Oakland, New Jersey home with his father and credits his overall presentation skills to this nightly activity. According to him, if you can speak, read and write, you have the necessary tools to be a great presenter.

Though Itman has been offered a position to return to Optum, he is looking forward to his post-graduate cybersecurity service with the federal government, to the benefit of the entire nation. Graduates like Itman are increasingly valuable as businesses and governments are working harder than ever to protect data and critical infrastructure.

However, after his engagement with the government, he plans to build his own company for cyber ethical hacking.

"It would be rewarding to provide security services to institutions, companies and even individuals," said Itman. "There are many ways in which you can assess and improve the security of people's networks and personal information, and this service is becoming increasingly valuable."

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